Renesas R5F11AGHDNB#20

Overview

R5F11AGHDNB#20 from Renesas Electronics is a Bluetooth Low Energy 4.2 single-mode microcontroller integrating the 16-bit RL78-S2 CPU core, on-chip 2.4 GHz RF transceiver, 256 KB flash memory, 20 KB RAM, and 8 KB data flash. It operates from 1.6 V to 3.6 V across –40°C to +85°C and targets ultra-low-power wearable sensors and BLE peripheral devices.

For engineers reviewing the R5F11AGHDNB#20 datasheet, R5F11AGHDNB#20 pinout, R5F11AGHDNB#20 application, or R5F11AGHDNB#20 equivalent, key selection considerations include its integrated RF transceiver with AES encryption, 0.3 μA RF sleep current, 48-pin HWQFN package, and support for Bluetooth v4.2 LE slave operation in industrial ambient conditions.

Technical Context

The R5F11AGHDNB#20 implements a Harvard-architecture RL78-S2 CPU with 3-stage pipeline, supporting instruction execution times from 0.03125 μs (32 MHz HS mode) to 30.5 μs (32.768 kHz subsystem clock). Its RF unit uses GFSK modulation in the 2.4 GHz ISM band with TDMA/TDD frequency hopping and built-in AES encryption circuitry.

It integrates dual power domains: MCU core (VDD/VSS) and RF analog section (VDD_RF/AVDD_RF/VSS_RF/AVSS_RF), with dedicated RF pins including ANT, XTAL1_RF/XTAL2_RF, GPIO0–GPIO3, RFCTLEN, and DCLOUT/DCLIN. The device supports adaptivity exclusively in slave-mode operation and features a single-ended RF interface.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

Package: 48-pin HWQFN (6 × 6 mm, 0.4 mm pitch), exposed die pad (GND1), RoHS-compliant.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar BLE microcontroller applications.

Compared with nRF52833 DK and CC2642R1F, the R5F11AGHDNB#20 offers lower system cost and simpler layout for BLE 4.2–only applications, with deterministic low-power behavior and industrial temperature rating out-of-box-no RF calibration or protocol stack porting required.

Availability

R5F11AGHDNB#20 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for wireless health monitors, smart home sensor nodes, and industrial asset trackers requiring stable component supply, long-term industrial temperature support, and integrated BLE 4.2 compliance.

Supply support for R5F11AGHDNB#20 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Renesas Electronics is a Japanese semiconductor manufacturer specializing in microcontrollers, analog, and power solutions for automotive, industrial, and IoT markets.

The RL78/G1D product line was designed specifically for ultra-low-power Bluetooth Low Energy peripheral devices, combining an energy-efficient RL78 CPU with a certified BLE 4.2 RF transceiver in a single chip to reduce system complexity and certification effort.

FAQ

Does R5F11AGHDNB#20 support Bluetooth 5.x features such as increased data rate or extended range?

No. The R5F11AGHDNB#20 implements Bluetooth v4.2 Low Energy Single Mode only. It does not support Bluetooth 5.0 or later features including 2 Mbps PHY, coded PHY, or advertising extensions. Its RF transceiver is hardware- and firmware-locked to v4.2 LE specifications per the Renesas datasheet R01DS0258EJ0130.

What is the maximum allowed operating voltage for the RF section (VDD_RF) of R5F11AGHDNB#20?

The absolute maximum rating for VDD_RF is +4.0 V, as specified in Section 2.1 Absolute Maximum Ratings of the R5F11AGHDNB#20 datasheet. Operating above this voltage risks permanent damage. For reliable operation, VDD_RF must be maintained between 1.6 V and 3.6 V, matching the MCU VDD supply range.

Can R5F11AGHDNB#20 operate as a Bluetooth LE master device?

No. The R5F11AGHDNB#20 RF transceiver supports adaptivity exclusively in slave-mode operation, as explicitly stated in the datasheet Feature list and Block Diagram sections. It cannot initiate connections or act as a central/master device; it is designed solely for peripheral/slave roles in BLE networks.

Is an external crystal required for R5F11AGHDNB#20 RF operation?

Yes. The R5F11AGHDNB#20 requires a 32 MHz crystal connected to XTAL1_RF and XTAL2_RF pins for RF baseband timing. While the MCU can use its high-speed on-chip oscillator, the RF unit mandates this external crystal for Bluetooth v4.2 compliance and frequency accuracy (±20 ppm), as confirmed in Section 2.3.1 of the datasheet.

What debug interface does R5F11AGHDNB#20 provide, and is it production-safe?

The R5F11AGHDNB#20 provides a 1-wire on-chip debug function via the TOOL0 pin. However, Renesas explicitly cautions against using this debug feature in mass-produced products due to potential flash memory wear-out beyond guaranteed rewrite cycles. Production units should disable or omit debug access to ensure long-term reliability.